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SPD in crisis: Bärbel Bas is fighting for voters in North Rhine-Westphalia!
Bärbel Bas' visit to Gelsenkirchen before the local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia highlights the challenges facing the SPD.
SPD in crisis: Bärbel Bas is fighting for voters in North Rhine-Westphalia!
The political winds in North Rhine-Westphalia are blowing restlessly. Bärbel Bas, the new SPD party leader from Duisburg, appeared in Gelsenkirchen on Thursday, where she was warmly welcomed by her comrades. On the occasion of the upcoming local elections on September 14, 2023, it is clear that the SPD is anything but in the fast lane. In surveys, the Social Democratic Party is facing a bleak forecast of just 22 percent ahead of the elections, which would be sobering even for North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state with around 13.7 million voters. According to Antenne Unna, the SPD could even finish as the third or fourth force in the country in the coming election, while the AfD and the Left are on the rise.
A current Forsa survey from June shows that the CDU achieved a clear 38 percent, followed by the SPD with 17 percent, and the AfD is also gaining ground with 16 percent. The News38 notes that the SPD is currently facing major challenges and the situation is not getting any better. This is the first test of sentiment since the federal election in February, and the performance of the Merz coalition does not play a relevant role in voters' decisions, according to Dirk Wiese, manager of the Bundestag parliamentary group.
Hopeful Bärbel Bas
Bärbel Bas is seen as a possible hope for the party. With her down-to-earth origins, she could make a name for herself as a new figure like Hannelore Kraft once did. She won her constituency of Duisburg I in the last elections and has been seeking contact with voters ever since. This connection to the grassroots could help the SPD to free itself from this difficult situation. At the same time, she faces the challenge of having to prove herself as Labor Minister and initiate socially balanced reforms in order to sharpen her profile. The question of whether Bas could be accepted as the top candidate for the 2027 North Rhine-Westphalia state election hangs over the party like the sword of Damocles.
There is also speculation in political circles that Sarah Philipp, chairwoman of the NRW SPD, will also come into play as a possible candidate if Bas does not run. The political climate makes it clear that the SPD does not want to be left on the sidelines and must maintain a good hand in winning back voters.